Starting device for internal combustion engines



Jly 18, 1933. .1. J. DEVINE STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed April 23, 1950 Reissued .lilly I8, 1,933

UNITED STATES PATENT i OFFICE JAMES J'. DEVINE, 0F ALLENTON,VMISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO MARY BAKER FULCHER, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUS'I'ION ENGINES rginal No. 1,909,855,1dated Illia?7 16, 1933, Serial No. 446,484, filed April 23, 1930.' Application for reissueled .Tune 5, 1933. Serial No. 674,459.

This invention relatesto starting devices for internal combustion engines. More.

speciiically stated, it relates to a starting attachment for a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, a motor to start said engine, and a transmission device including an operating member movable to transmit power from the engine to the vehicle.

Prior to this invention, there have been various attempts to provide vehicles drivenn by internal combustion engines with means to prevent premature starting of the vehicles'. These attempts, however', have been unsuccessful due to the fact that the starter would at times be operated while the engine was firing, or while the engine was operatively connected to the vehicle.

An object ofthe invention isto provide a switch which will prevent the operation of the starting motor when the engine is tiring.

A further` object is to provide a switch which will prevent the operation of the starting motor when the vehicle is operatively connected to the engine. n

With the foregoing'r and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention.- However, it is to beunderstood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical View of a starting device embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail view ofthe manually operated switch.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view of the internal combustion engine, and a transmission device through which power may be transmitted from the engine to a motor vehicle.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing parts of the transmission device.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a speed-responsive z switch controlled by the engine, showing Va portion of a generator through which rotary motion may be transmitted from the engine to the speed-responsive elements.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, partly in section, showing the switch in its open position.

--To illustrate the invention I have shown a vstarting device for a vehicle equipped with engine flywheel 3 to start said engine, a transcle.

mission device C including an operating member 4 (Figs. l and 4) movable, as will be hereafter' described, from a neutralposition to an active position in the usual manner, to transmit power from the engine to the vehi- In the preferred form of this invention the starting device comprises an electro-magnetic switch E (Fig. 1) for supplying electrical energy to the starting motor B, said electro-magnetic switch being controlled, as will be hereafter described, by a manually operated switch F, a speed responsive switch G, and switches -H controlled by the operating member 4.

The source of electrical energy for the starting circuit may be the usual storage battery 5 (Fig. 1) which has one terminal, usually the negative terminal, grounded to the body of the vehicle, as indicated at 6. The other terminal of the battery is connected by the conductors or wires 7- to one terminal of the motor B. The other terminal ofthe motor being grounded at Sito complete the electrical circuit. The How of electrical energy through the conductors 7 is controlled by the electro-magnetic switch E, shown in Fig. 1.

The positive terminal of the battery is also connected by the wire 9 to the manually operated switch F, which has a wire 10 leading to one end of the coil 11 of the electro-magnetic switch E, as shown in Fig. 1. The other end of the coil 11 can be electrically connected to conductors I2 leading to the ground at 13 so that an electrical circuit from the battery through the coil 11 may be obtained.

The switches H and the speed-responsive switch G are interposed in the conductors 1.2, so the current flowing through the coil 11 1s controlled by t-hese switches.

The manually operated switch F has a plurality of stationary contact points 14, 15 and l 16 and a switch arm 17 rotatable on the shaft 18. The shaft 18 may be secured to the switch arm 17 by means of a nut 19.

The contact points 14 and 15 are connected by the wire 2O to an ignition system (not shown) which may be any of the conventional ignition systems used on motor Vehicles having spark plugs operated from a battery. The contact point 16 which is opposite to the contact point-14 is connected by the wire 10 to the coil 11 of the electromagnetic switch E. i

The switch arm'17 is connected to the wireY energy to the starting motor B.

When the switch arm occupies the inclined position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, it will contact'with the contact point 15 and electrical energy is then supplied to only the ignition system. This position permits hand starting or rotation of the engine in testing operations, without the operation or interference of the starting motor.

When Athe switch arm 17 occupies the horizontal position shown by thel dotted lines in F 1g. 2, it is separated from the Contact points and electrical energy will not be transmitted to either the ignition system or the starting circuit. Y

ris has been stated when the switch arm 17 1s in the position shown in Fig. 1 and by the full lines in Fig. 2, electrical energy will,

, except under conditions to be hereinafter described, be transmittedto the coil 11 of the electro-magnetic switch E. The electrical current passing through the coil 11 will magnctize a metallic core 21 which will draw a rod 22 through guides 23 and 24 to bring a swltch member 25 at one end of the rod 22, into contact with the contact points 26 and 27. The contact points 26 and 27 are interposed in the conductors 7 lead-ing from the battery to thestarting motor. The contact point 2G is secured to a portion of the con-- ductor which leads to the battery and the contact point 27 is secured to the conductor 7 leading to the starting motor. While electrical energy. is flowing through the Coilgll the switch member 25 will remain in contact with the contact points 26 and 27 and electrical energy will be transmitted to the starting motor. f

A spring 28 surrounds the rod 22 and 1s confined by the guide 24 and a collar 29 on thc rod 22. The collar 29 is .adjustable on the rod 22 to vary the tension of the spring 28. The spring.28 will keep the switch member 25 lseparated from'the contact points when electrical energy ceases to pass, through the coil 11. v

When the speed of the engine A is increased under its own power, the starting motor B.

will cease to operate. This is accomplished by the speed of responsive switch G which is interposed in the conductors 12 leading from the coil 11 of the electro-magnetic switch. The speed-responsive switch G, when the engine is running under its own power, will break the circuit leading from the coil 11 to the ground. Since the electrical energy does not at this time pass'through the coil 11,

,the spring 28 will shift the member 25 and open the circuit leading from the battery 5 to the starting motor B.

The speed-responsive switch G is operated by af member rotatable in accordance with the speed of the engine, such as a generator shaft of a generator 31, which is ordinarily driven bythe engine of a motor vehicle. y Y

The speed-responsive switch 'G may comprise a contact point 32 (Figs. 5 and 6) Secured to but insulated from the generator 31, the. metallic generator shaft 33, a metallic disk 34 adapted to contact with the contact point 32, said disk being slidable on the shaft 33, and a centrifugal governor secured to said disk 34 and said shaft 33 to move said disk 34 out of contact with said contact point 32.

The governor, shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, comprise weights 35` and links 36 and 37. The links 36 are pivoted to the weights 35 and to a collar 39 rigidlysecured to the shaft 33. The arms 37 are pivoted to the weight-s 35 and to an extended portion 40 of the slidable disk 34.

A spring 38 is interposed between the collar 39 and the extended portion 40 of the disk to keep the disk 34 in contact with the contact point 32 when the governor is in its inoperative condition, as shown in Fig. 5. The governor will remain in its inoperative condition until the engine .begins to operate under its own power, thereby increasing the speed of the governor. At this time the speed of the generator shaft 33 is suicient to f throw the weights 35 outward, which action will slide the disk 34 on the shaft 33 and thereby separate vthe disk from the contact point 32, as shown in Fig. 6.

The contact point 32,I is connected to the wire 12 leading from the coil 11 and the generator shaft 33 is connected to the ground, as i disk is broken. As a result, electrical energy will no longer be transmitted through the coil 11 and the starter will cease to operate.

The governor will keep the disk 34 Separated from the contact point 32 as long as the engine is operating under its own power. However, if the engine -should 'stop at any time, the governor will again resume' its inop-` erative condition, as shown in Fig. 5. The circuit from the coil 11 to the ground will again be completed and the engine ma-y be restarted as previously described.

lVhile the foregoing construction will immediately and automatically start and re-` start the engine when all of the switches are closed, it is important that the .engine should, not be started while the engine is operatively connected to the vehicle. If such a condition should exist the vehicle would be put into motion and an accident might occur under certain conditions before the vehicle could be stopped.

To safeguard against such a condition I have provided the switches H which will prevent the transmission of electrical energy to the coil 11 of the electro-magnetlc switch when the engine is operatively connected to the vehicle. These switches H are opened and closed in response to the move,-

4 is in itsneutral position, as lshown in Fig. 1.

The switches H are interposed in the conductor 12`leading from Athe coil -11. The switches H are connected in series as shown in Fig. 1, so that if either of said switches is open the electrical circuit to the coil 11 will be broken.

The switches H, which are arranged at opposite sides of the transmission, have spring switch arms 41 which tend tol keep the switches in their closed positions. The switches H are insulated from the transmission housing by the insulation 42.

As one way of showing-how the switches H may be opened in response to the movements of the gear shift lever 4, I have shown gear shift bars 43 having recessed cam faces 44 to receive the ends of slidable rods 45 v when the gear shift 4 is in itsneutral position. When the gear shift lever is moved to an active position, one of the gear shift bars will likewise be shifted, and-the rod which had an end in the recessed portion will be acted upon by the cam face 44 of gear shift bar toforce the switch arm to an open position. Each gear shift bar 43 has a straight face 46 extended from its cam face 44 to retain )the adjacent switch arm 41 in-its open position when the bar occupies its active position.

Therefore, during the time the engine is operatively connected to the vehicle one of the switches H will be open, and as a result the electro-magnetic switch E will not sup ply electrical energy to the starting motor.

When the gear shift lever 4 is replaced in its neutral position the rods 45 will again be located in the recessed cams 44, and theo switches H will be closedto permit operation of" the electro-magnetic switch.

In the ordinary operation of a vehicle equipped withthe herein described startil'ig device, the switch arm 17 will be placed in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, and

left in this position as long as the vehicle is in use. The starting motor will, thereafter, be operated automatically to keep the engine in an operative condition. starting motor B will not be operated while the engine is firing or to the vehicle.

However, if under some conditions itis desired to operate the vehicle without automatically controlling the starting motor, the engine may be started by placing the switch arm 17 in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 2. When lthe engine is started, the

vswitch arm 171is turned to'the inclined position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The Starting circuit is then disconnected, but electrical energy will still be transmitted to the ignition system for the continued operation of the engine.

lVhen it is desired to stop the engine A, the switch arm 17 will be turned from whatever position is previously occupied to the horizontal position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the arm is in this position thev battery 4 isdisconnected from both the ignition and starting circuits.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an attachment for an internal combustion engine having an ignition system and an electric motor for starting said engine, a

However, the

operatively connected.l

armbeing movable. to one of said contact points to ysupply electrical energy to said ignition system, said switch arm also being movable to simultaneously contact with two other of said contact points to supply electrical energy to both said ignition system and to start said motor. 1

2. In an attachment for an internal combustion engine having an ignition system and an electric motor for startingl said engine, a switch comprising a plurality of contact points through which electrical energy is transmitted to energize said ignition system and motor, and a switch arm adaptedv to occupy an oli' position and movable to contact with said contact points, said switch arm being movable to a position at said contact points where it will provide forsimultaneous transmission of energy to said ignition system and motor, and said switch arm being movable to another position to energize said ignition system and prevent the supply of energ to said motor.

3. n an electrical system for internal combustion engines including a starting motor, a source of electrical energy and an ignition circuit for the engine; an autolnatlc controlling device for yoperating the starting motor 1n case of engine stall, and means forv jointly operating the automatic `controlling device and cthe ignition circuit, said 'means beingalso operative to control the ignition circuit while preventing the operation of the automatic controlling device.

. 4. In an electrical system for internal com- Y bustion engines including a starting motor, av

` source of electrical energy and an ignition circuit ortheengine; an automatic controllin device for operating the starting motor 1n case of engine stall, and a switch' for jointly connectin the automatic controlling device and t e ignition circuit to the source of electrical energy, said switch being operative to connect the ignition'circuit individually to the source of electrical energy.

5. In an electrical system for internal combustion engines including a starting motor circuit, an ignition circuit and a source of electrical 'energy included in said circuits, a magnetic switch in the starting motor circuit, a controlling circuit for said magnetic switch and a switchD having two operative positions one for closing the ignition circuit and one for closing both the ignition and the control circuits.

6. In an electrical system for internal combustion engines including a starting motor circuit, an ignitioncircuit and a source of electrical energy included in said circuits; a magnetic switchcin the starting motor circuit, a controlling circuit for said magnetic switch, manual means for initially jointly closing the ignition circuit and the control circuit and means for holding open said control circuit` while the engine is self-opera- JAMES J. DEVINE. c 

